Finally took the FTTC plunge

[#1]

After (literally) years of hesitation I finally took the plunge and ordered Fibre Extra this evening.
I appreciate that the 'Techicolor' router may not be up to covering the whole house so I've purchased a Huawei Wi-Fi Repeater from Amazon (also useful for current Netgear DG834gt router until PN goes live).
My main qualm is the failed OpenRetch installation appointment scenario..... fingers crossed!! Don't think I'm in a MBORC area (Sutton & Cheam, London area).

[#2]

I debated upgrading because of the failed failed installations that kept appearing on the forums but it all went well on the day with no issues and hopefully so will yours.

[#3]

The last of the MBORCs has now been lifted.

[#4]

Quote from: mikko

After (literally) years of hesitation I finally took the plunge and ordered Fibre Extra this evening. I appreciate that the 'Techicolor' router may not be up to covering the whole house so I've purchased a Huawei Wi-Fi Repeater from Amazon (also useful for current Netgear DG834gt router until PN goes live). My main qualm is the failed OpenRetch installation appointment scenario..... fingers crossed!! Don't think I'm in a MBORC area (Sutton & Cheam, London area).

You should have used your netgear router as a free wireless repeater as long as you disabled DHCP Client on the netgear works well. Only thing is your limited to g wireless with your netgear router but even that should be ok as a secondary Wi-Fi point.

[#5]

It's an ex-Sky Netgear modem/router, converted to allow me to use my own login and password but seems to be nobbled in other ways.

[#6]

@mikko
As I did for Mushy recently I don't mind keeping an eye on the order after it's been placed. At least then IF there is any issues I can jump straight on it for you. If there was any chance at all that the booked engineer would not be able to attend the visit we'd usually be able to tell you prior to the visit by checking the order progress proactively.
Adam

[#7]

Thanks Adam.
My niece (who lives at the same address) jumped the gun without telling me and asked BT to put Infinity + phone package on the line (which already has LLU from Surfanytime on it). BT agreed and sent her an email saying the line number would be changed. I only found out yesterday when I got a letter from BT. I phoned BT and said 'no way' as I am the account holder. Later, when I showed her my correspondence with Pusnet she phoned BT and cancelled her order (surely couldn't go ahead anyway with ADSL already on the line, funny BT didn't check that).
So maybe there's potential there for a mix-up which is where hopefully you could step in.
Current situation is I'm waiting for my MAC from Surfanytime (the LLU is partial - on broadband only, phone line is with BT).
One reason I went with Plusnet is the help I've witnessed on this forum. Had some tempting offers from BT but as I said to my niece 'what about the customer service?'

[#8]

OK, I don't imagine it would cause any issues. I'll need to let our provisioning team place your order first so do look out for a response from them and drop me a PM if there's any issues and I'll step in at that point if need be.

[#9]

Even though I don't have a MAC yet, I have these installation dates:
Your Plusnet Fibre broadband order
We'll arrange for your fibre broadband service to be installed. This will happen on one of the dates you've chosen:
29/11/2012 AM
30/11/2012 AM
30/11/2012 PM
It's now 13/12/12 8am - 1pm

[#10]

OK, here's the feedback on today's installation:
The engineer (Kelly not BT/OR) phoned to say he was coming and my broadband would soon go off.
He knocked on the door and said he couldn't find my line so came in and plugged a gadget in the master socket and went off again.
He returned  about 30 mins later and said he'd found the line.
When I told him I'd asked for an extension he looked baffled and it would be a major job and beds/furniture would have to be moved (wouldn't consider putting it up the wall outside the house [even though I offered him tea and biscuits], which is where BT routed a phone extension many years ago). I don't even know if he had any cable with him, he'd obviously never been asked to put an extension in before.
He removed the old master socket, replaced it with an openreach one and installed the modem and router side by side in the hall near the master socket.
He told me that an extension cable would have run from the master socket to the modem in the upstairs bedroom (where my computer is) and that the modem and router are always side by side connected by the short ethernet cable (red ends).
So now I have the modem and router downstairs and am connected wirelessly upstairs at a max speed of about 36MB/s down and about 15MB/s up.
He said his own test back to the server gave the max sync rate of 80 down and 20 up which i believe as we are near the FTTC cabinet.
A snippet of info he gave me was that the FTTC cabinets would disappear soon as FTTP is coming.
Any comments Adam?

[#11]

I had a similar issue with the Kelly's engineer when it came to fitting the extension, wouldn't fit it where i wanted it but i managed to convinced him to make up a cable and routed it where i wanted after he had left.
If i hadn't mentioned the extension he wouldn't have either and wasn't keen on it.

[#12]

From what you've said it sounds like the job was carried out well apart from what you've mentioned about extensions. I can check but I don't think all engineers carry these as a matter of course and may only do so if the ISP has requested one to be installed when the order for fibre was placed.
The speeds don't seem to be near your estimate at all though so I'd advise keeping an eye on that over the next few days and would urge you to raise a fault with us if you don't see that improve during that time.

[#13]

Quote

The speeds don't seem to be near your estimate at all though so I'd advise keeping an eye on that over the next few days and would urge you to raise a fault with us if you don't see that improve during that time.

Quote

and am connected wirelessly

That might well explain the low download speed, Adam.
A wired speed test is needed.

[#14]

When i can get around to it, I'll plug my laptop directly into the router and do a speed test.

[#15]

Does anyone know if the Kelly's engineer was correct when he said that FTTC cabinets would disappear soon as FTTP is coming (I clarified with him that the FTTC customers will be upgraded to FTTP at no extra cost). Maybe only BT customers?